Section 169.4503 Additional Minnesota School Bus Body Standards
169.4503 ADDITIONAL MINNESOTA SCHOOL BUS BODY STANDARDS.
Subdivision 1.Relation to national standards.
The bus body standards contained in this section are required in addition to those required by sections 169.4501 and 169.4502. When a Minnesota standard contained in this section conflicts with a national standard adopted in section 169.4501, the Minnesota standard contained in this section is controlling.
Subd. 2.Back-up warning alarm.
An automatic audible back-up alarm may be installed. A spring-loaded button in the driver's compartment that will temporarily disable the back-up alarm is allowed for usage in school bus overnight parking lots and repair facilities.
Subd. 3.
[Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34]
Subd. 4.Certification.
A body manufacturer, school bus dealer, or certified Minnesota commercial vehicle inspector who is also an employee of an organization purchasing a school bus shall provide preliminary certification to the Department of Public Safety that the product meets Minnesota standards. Final certification will be granted within 30 days upon reinspection by the Department of Public Safety.
Subd. 5.Colors.
Fenderettes may be black. The beltline may be painted yellow over black or black over yellow. The rub rails shall be black.
Subd. 6.Communications.
All buses manufactured after January 1, 1995, shall have a two-way voice communications system.
Subd. 7.Floor construction.
The metal floor shall be covered with plywood. The plywood shall be at least 19/32 inches thick, and must equal or exceed properties of exterior-type softwood plywood, grade C-D, as specified in product standard PSI-I83 issued by the United States Department of Commerce. The floor shall be level from front to back, and side to side, except in wheel housing, toe board, and driver's seat platform areas.
Subd. 8.
[Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34]
Subd. 9.
[Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34]
Subd. 10.
[Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 2 s 34]
Subd. 10a.
[Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 2 s 34]
Subd. 11.
[Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34]
Subd. 12.
[Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34]
Subd. 13.Identification.
(a) Each bus shall, in the beltline, identify the school district serviced, or company name, or owner of the bus. Numbers necessary for identification must appear on the sides and rear of the bus. Symbols or letters may be used on the outside of the bus near the entrance door for student identification. A manufacturer's nameplate or logo may be placed on the bus.
(b) Effective December 31, 1994, all type A, B, C, and D buses sold must display lettering "Unlawful to pass when red lights are flashing" on the rear of the bus. The lettering shall be in two-inch black letters on school bus yellow background. This message shall be displayed directly below the upper window of the rear door. On rear engine buses, it shall be centered at approximately the same location. Only signs and lettering approved or required by state law may be displayed.
Subd. 14.Insulation.
(a) Thermal insulation is required. It shall be fire-resistant, UL approved, with minimum R-value of 5.5. Insulation shall be installed so as to prevent sagging.
(b) Floor insulation is required. It shall be five-ply nominal five-eighths-inch-thick plywood, and shall equal or exceed properties of the exterior-type softwood plywood, C-D Grade, as specified in the standard issued by United States Department of Commerce. All exposed edges on plywood shall be sealed. Type A-I buses shall be equipped with nominal one-half-inch-thick plywood or equivalent material meeting the above requirements. Equivalent material may be used to replace plywood, provided it has an equal or greater insulation R value, deterioration, sound abatement, and moisture resistance properties.
Subd. 15.Interior speakers.
Interior speakers, except in the driver's compartment, must not protrude more than one-half inch from the mounting surface.
Subd. 16.Lamps and signals.
(a) If installed, a white flashing strobe shall be of a double flash type. No roof hatch can be mounted behind the strobe light.
(b) All lamps on the exterior of the vehicle must conform with and be installed as required by federal motor vehicle safety standard number 108, Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 571.
(c) A type A, B, C, or D school bus manufactured for use in Minnesota after December 31, 1994, may not be equipped with red turn-signal lenses on the rear of the bus.
Subd. 17.
[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 8 s 15]
Subd. 18.
[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 8 s 15]
Subd. 19.Rub rail.
There shall be one rub rail at the base of the skirt of the bus on all type A, excluding van conversions, B, C, and D buses.
Subd. 20.Seat and crash barriers.
(a) All restraining barriers and passenger seats shall be covered with a material that has fire retardant or fire block characteristics.
(b) All seats must have a minimum cushion depth of 15 inches and a seat back height of at least 20 inches above the seating reference point, and beginning October 21, 2009, must also conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 571.222.
Subd. 21.
[Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 2 s 34]
Subd. 22.
[Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34]
Subd. 23.Windows.
Windshield, entrance, and rear emergency exit doors must be of approved safety glass. Laminated or tempered glass (AS-2 or AS-3) is permitted in all other windows. All glass shall be federally approved and marked as provided in section 169.74. The windshield may be of uniform tint throughout or may have a horizontal gradient band starting slightly above the line of vision and gradually decreasing in light transmission to 20 percent or less at the top of the windshield. The use of tinted glass, as approved by section 169.71, is permitted on side windows and rear windows except for the entrance door, the first window behind the service door, and the window to the left of the driver. The window to the left of the driver, the upper service door windows, and the window immediately behind the entrance door must be thermal glass. The window to the left of the driver for type A buses need not be thermal glass.
Subd. 24.Wiring.
If a master cutoff switch is used, it shall not be wired as to kill power to the electric brake system.
Subd. 25.
[Repealed, 2004 c 294 art 2 s 34]
Subd. 26.
[Repealed, 2007 c 146 art 8 s 15]
Subd. 27.Tailpipe.
(a) The tailpipe must not extend more than two inches beyond the perimeter of the body for a side-exit pipe or beyond the bumper for a rear-exit pipe.
(b) The tailpipe must exit either in the rear of the vehicle or to the left side of the bus in front of or behind the rear drive axle. The tailpipe exit location on all type A-I or B-I buses must be in accordance with the manufacturer's standards. The tailpipe must not exit beneath any fuel filler location or beneath any emergency door.
History:
1994 c 647 art 12 s 37; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 2 s 34; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 18-27; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 1 s 45; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 26-30; 2007 c 146 art 8 s 9,10; 2009 c 96 art 8 s 5,6
NOTE: Subdivision 27, as added by Laws 2009, chapter 96, article 8, section 6, is effective May 17, 2009, and applies retroactively from December 31, 2007, through January 1, 2012. Laws 2009, chapter 96, article 8, section 6, the effective date.